Derrick Smith Arrested: Rahm Emanuel Says Indicted State Rep Should Not Be On Fall Ballot

03/26/2012 01:26 pm ET

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Friday joined a growing chorus of influential Chicago Democrats speaking out against state Rep. Derrick Smith, who resoundingly weathered a primary challenge last week despite being indicted on a federal corruption charge.

"There's nothing wrong with being a Republican, except that if people are going to vote for a Republican, they ought to know they're voting for a Republican," U.S. Rep. Danny Davis said of Swiss as he urged voters to support Smith instead.

"I certainly am not going to speak for those voters," Cross told Fox. "I hope that people have not gotten to the point in this state that they find this type of behavior acceptable."

Democrats Gov. Pat Quinn, Secretary of State Jesse White and even Davis, who defended Smith as recently as last week, have all now called for his resignation. Davis explained that the reason he rallied behind Smith after the charges was because he wanted a real Democrat to take the seat -- not Swiss.

Smith was an embarrassment even before he was arrested. He was in over his head and obviously lacking in skills. He was White’s hack, and everybody knew it. But at least Smith looked like a clean embarrassment. Now, he’s a dangerous embarrassment facing a federal felony charge.

Smith has kept quiet since his primary win, the Associated Press reports. Should the House investigative panel decide to pursue further action against him, a disciplinary committee will take the matter from there and consider penalties such as a reprimand, censure or expulsion.